Ultimate circuit challenge for charity

Sarah Marshall, an Events Officer in the University’s Development and Alumni Relations Office, will be taking part in an epic fitness challenge on 7 and 8 May 2016 to raise vital funds for local charity, the Capella Foundation.

The Capella Foundation was set up by a Bristol couple following the loss of one of their expected twin daughters as a result of complications during pregnancy known as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), where the blood flow to each baby becomes distorted due to sharing the same placenta.

The foundation raises much-needed funds for pioneering research that advances the understanding of the methods of diagnosis and treatment of medical complications that can occur during pregnancy. One such project is the Bristol Twin (BRIT) study, conducted at the University of Bristol by Dr Sarah Newell in the School of Clinical Sciences.

This two-year research project involves recruiting all women who are pregnant with monochorionic twins (who share the same placenta) in the Bristol and Bath area to the study, and following them through their pregnancies. Capella Foundation funds are being used to pay for equipment and software to perform cutting-edge scans to monitor the foetal hearts, placentas and brains.

Dr Newell said: ‘We hope that this study, which has been made possible by money raised by the Capella Foundation, will provide vital information to help us make these types of high-risk twin pregnancies safer.’

For the past few years, the Capella Foundation has been running a fundraising event called the #24in24 – the ultimate circuit challenge. This involves a different hour-long fitness class or activity, every hour, for 24 hours. Participants sign up to complete as many classes as they like.

Marshall has been taking part in the event since 2014. This year, she will be joining a group known as ‘The Wolfpack’, whose members will be completing all 24 classes.

Marshall said: ‘The event is a huge challenge, both physically and mentally, as you just try to keep going through whatever is thrown your way – from pulling a car to a dance class at midnight and the dreaded bleep test at 4 am. It really is the camaraderie of the group and my wholehearted belief in the cause that will keep me going once my eyelids start to droop and my muscles start to ache. It’s such great motivation to know that every penny we raise is going to such a worthy cause, especially when the research is happening right here at the University.’